The present invention relates to seating, and in particular to institutional seats particularly suited for multipurpose rooms, and the like.
Chairs for seating in institutional settings, particularly relatively large open areas, such as auditoriums, ballrooms, gymnasiums, convention centers, and the like are well known in the art. Such chairs preferably stack or nest within one another for storage, such that large multipurpose floor spaces can be rapidly converted into seating areas and back again into open areas for recreation. Stacking chairs are typically provided with some type of ganging mechanism, such that the chairs can be set and temporarily retained in predetermined rows, or other selected configurations.
Because of their specialized purpose, stacking chairs must necessarily be relatively lightweight, durable, and have a simple, space efficient design that can be manufactured relatively inexpensively. Furthermore, stacking chairs must also have a relatively thin profile, so that a substantial number of chairs can be stored in a single stack. This thin profile limits the amount of upholstery which can be applied to the seat and back of the chair.
As a result of these specialized requirements, stacking chairs have heretofore been rather uncomfortable to sit in, largely due to their normally rigid construction, and limited padding and/or upholstery.